How Much Will My San Diego Divorce Cost?
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When two individuals are getting married, spending money on the wedding event is a satisfying and happy experience. You buy the best tasting cake, order the wedding dress of your dreams, and craft extravagant flower arrangements. You invite as many family members and friends as you can afford and plan the honeymoon trip to create lifetime memories.
And while nobody minds the getting married expenses, even the most generous cringe and pinch pennies when paying for getting unmarried. And it should not come as a surprise that divorce can sometimes cost the same or even more than the wedding.
However, what most dont realize is that the driving forces behind the cost of divorce are the individuals themselves. The less you are willing to cooperate and compromise, the more negative emotions are involved and the more hand-holding you require from your attorney, the more you will have to shell out to finally become single again.
The divorce costs consist of:
Court Costs. To file for divorce in San Diego bot you and your spouse will have to pay the first appearance, sometimes also called initial filing fee, of $435. Other fees you might have to pay include but are not limited to motion fees (vary from $60 to $85), court reporter fees for hearings longer than 40 minutes and other. Attorneys Fees. Attorneys usually charge hourly rate or flat fee for representation in your divorce proceeding. Often the fee incurred will depend on the complexity of the proceeding, whether or not there are children involved, the number of issues in dispute and most importantly the level of the conflict between the two soon-to-be-exes. Since the rates for specific lawyers vary depending on their experience and knowledge in various matters, we recommend contacting the office directly for information on fees. Expert fees. If you and your spouse cannot agree on the value of your assets, you will need to hire experts to perform valuations of your home, vacation properties, business, goodwill and other marital property. Child Custody Evaluators and Parenting Classes. It is not uncommon in contested child custody disputes for the Court to order a child custody evaluation and request a formal opinion on what custody arrangement would be in the best interest of the children involved. The costs of such evaluations are usually high, sometimes going up to $10,000. Another child custody related expense is parenting during and after divorce classes often ordered for one or both parents. Mediation Costs. An experienced mediator can help the parties reach an agreement on all issues in dispute. And although just like an attorney, a mediator usually charges hourly fees, the cost of mediation is significantly lower than litigating the issues involved.
So how do you get the divorce costs reduced to a minimum, you ask?
First, educate yourself. Learn as much as you can about your rights and entitlements as well as your obligations and the divorce proceeding itself. Preparation is the key and ability to make informed decisions throughout the process can make or break your divorce budget.
Second, act fast. One of the most influential factors in the cost of divorce is how long these cases usually last. The more time your attorney spends on the case, the more costly it becomes. Coming to agreements and keeping the fighting down helps to keep the fees manageable.
Lastly, play nice. Coming to an agreement with your ex will not only make the divorce process move faster, but will lower the costs associated with attorneys fees. While nobody wants to go through divorce, the more your and your soon-to-be-ex-spouse can work out on your own, the cheaper the divorce will be.
Please contact Womens Divorce Center directly at (619) 630 4765 to inquire about our fee structure and payment arrangements, and for advise on keeping your divorce costs as low as possible.’